Versatile Blogger Award - Casting My Crown to Jesus Christ, My Lord & Savior

Eva Barkman (c) 2012 all rights reserved ~ Holden Arboretum, Ohio

...They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

"Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."          Rev 4:10,11

I was recently awarded the "Versatile Blogger Award."  I am honored, but I feel as though I need to "cast my crown" to my Lord God, for without Him, I am nothing.


It is because of Him that I live and breathe, am saved by His agonizing work on the cross, and will live eternity with Him someday in pure love and light.

With all of that being said.....

     Thank you to my husband, Rob, who nominated me for this award.  You will be truly blessed by checking out his "Settled In Heaven Ministries" at http://www.settledinheaven.org ...he has a Wordpress blog, a YouTube, a daily devotion, and all of his links on the SIH website.  Rob has many years experience in teaching the Lord's Word.  He has a true love of the Lord and I feel like the most blessed woman in the world to be his wife.

Ok...now for the formalities of the award....

THE RULES TO FOLLOW FOR THE VERSATILE BLOGGER AWARD:
1. Add a picture of the award to your blog post.

2. Thank the blogger who nominated you and include a link to their blog.

3. Share a few random facts about yourself.

4. Nominate other Bloggers and inform those they have been nominated.

Random facts about myself...

1. As most of you know, I am an artist (art, photography, digital, & jewelry design)...I am also musically inclined, although I don't use this talent as much as I feel I should.  I sing solos and duets in church, though I wish I could use my musical talent more often to glorify the Lord.

2. I am generally a humble person. This makes it difficult to "push" my arts...I sell online, but I am no salesman.  I wish I could employ a publicist and marketer :D

3. Prior to meeting my husband, the love of my life, I lived many years of my younger adulthood, in an abusive relationship....I'm not going to elaborate much about this, but I truly realize how much the Lord held me during those dark days.  I also realize how close the Lord is to you during horrendous trials and how those trials make you stronger.

4. I was blessed with two wonderful parents, who taught me about God, and gave me a great childhood.  I appreciate that more now, looking back, than I did back then.  If only we could learn to really appreciate and not take for granted our blessings. 

5. I love to garden, but now, since I have fibromyalgia, it becomes increasingly more difficult to do the kneeling and other physical things you do when you garden....if I have a good day, then I get out there and garden like a crazy person, but I pay for it after.  As you can see, I spend a lot of time photographing my garden and other local gardens....like the Holden Arboretum that you see in the above photo.

6. I'm married to my best friend.  I feel like I am the most blessed woman in the world for being married to Rob....we work as a team...my weaknesses are his strengths and visa versa.  He has taught me so much about the Lord and theWord...I couldn't be more blessed.

7. I was raised as a Catholic.  But, as time went by, I started feeling like I needed something else out of my church.  So I started searching by going to different churches, different denominations, for visits.  About 12 years ago, I started going to Baptist church and I realized that this is where I need to be.  This is where I could truly "learn" about the Word and accept Christ as my Lord and Savior.  I was baptized in Trinity Baptist Church (now know as Shore Fellowship)...I loved that church.  We moved away from New Jersey to Ohio, and I think about that wonderful place where I started to really feel like a Christian...to apply my life to the work of Christ and follow his Will.

Well...that's enough about me.

Now to nominate other blog sites that I feel are deserving of this Versatile Blogger Award. 

http://www.lisaphelps.org/  "A Moment with God" is a lovely, enjoyable blog.  Lisa Phelps shares scripture and the everyday thoughts of a woman of God.

http://asinglechristianmomsadvice.blogspot.com/  "A Single Christian Mom's Advice" is not only a great testimony to God's Word, but also appeals to the mom in all of us.

http://www.w2wministries.org  "Woman to Woman" is a delightful blog inspiring all women to live lives pleasing to the Lord.

Please check out these blogs...they are inspirational and uplifting...something we all could use in today's chaotic world.